This invention relates to lollipops and systems for making lollipops. More particularly, it relates to a lollipop having an edible stick of compressed candy with gum chips interspersed therein and to an automated system for manufacturing the lollipops. The system employs a plurality of book molds that are interconnected to open and close simultaneously and are on a conveyor synchronized with a multi-piston injector that injects hot syrup into the molds. The sticks are inserted through the injection openings into the hot syrup before it fully cools.
Lollipops in their basic form have been well-known for at least several decades. The conventional basic form of a lollipop is a thin usually cylindrical cardboard stick that has a piece of hard candy attached to one end. In known lollipops, the candy may be substantially spherical, disk-like, or various other shapes. The candy is eaten by a person holding the stick to position the candy in the mouth for licking and/or biting. Once the candy has been consumed, the stick is discarded.
A subject of the invention is a lollipop comprising a ball of hard candy and an edible stick. The stick has a first end extending into a cavity in the ball of candy and an opposite gripping end. The stick comprises pressed candy and a multiplicity of confectionary chips interspersed in the candy. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cconfectionaryxe2x80x9d is intended to be understood in a broad sense as including both various kinds of candy and gum, which may be bubble gum.
For delivery to a consumer, the lollipop of the invention is preferably provided in an assembly that comprises the lollipop and a plastic sleeve surrounding the stick. In its preferred form, the sleeve completely surrounds the side and outer end surfaces of the stick at least substantially to the ball of candy to provide a cover for the stick while the ball is being consumed. This helps to keep the candy stick clean for later eating while the hard candy is being consumed in the usual manner of eating a lollipop. The sleeve is preferably transparent to allow the stick and the confectionary chips therein to be visible at the time of purchase and remain visible while the hard candy is being consumed with the sleeve still protecting the stick.
A preferred feature of the invention minimizes contact between the circumferential surface of the stick and the inner surface of the sleeve. The sleeve is cylindrical. The stick is substantially cylindrical and has an outer circumferential surface with two diametrically opposite, axially extending flats formed thereon. The flats have axial edges extending radially beyond adjacent cylindrical portions of the circumferential surface of the stick. This causes the edges to contact the inner surface of the sleeve. The curved portions of the circumferential surface and the surfaces of the flats between their edges remain out of contact with the sleeve to minimize contact between the circumferential surface of the stick and the sleeve. At most, there are four axial lines of contact.
Another subject of the invention is a method of making the lollipop described above. According to an aspect of the invention, the method comprises mixing granulated candy and confectionary chips, and compressing the resulting mixture into a plurality of sticks. A plurality of book molds are linked together to open and close simultaneously. Each mold has an internal cavity and a pour opening communicating with the cavity and extending out through an outer surface of the mold. With the molds closed, hot syrup is injected from a plurality of nozzles into the cavities of the molds through the pour openings. The syrup is allowed to cool in the cavities. When the syrup has cooled but not hardened, one of the sticks is inserted through the pour opening of each mold and into the cooled syrup. The cooled syrup in each mold is allowed to completely harden into a ball of hard candy with the respective stick anchored therein. The molds are then inverted, and the molds are simultaneously opened to allow the lollipops formed by the hard candy and anchored sticks to fall out of the molds. As this procedure is carried out, the molds are supported on a conveyor, and the conveyor is synchronized with a feed speed of the hot syrup and operation of the nozzles.
Still another subject of the invention is apparatus for manufacturing lollipops. According to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a plurality of book molds arranged in a row and linked together to open and close simultaneously. Each mold has an internal cavity and a pour opening communicating with the cavity. The pour opening extends out through an outer surface of the mold. The molds are mounted for simultaneous inversion and are biased into a closed position. An actuator is engageable with the molds to simultaneously open the molds. A plurality of nozzles are positioned to simultaneously inject hot syrup into the cavities through the pour openings.
Each mold comprises first and second halves. In the preferred embodiments, the apparatus includes a link bar linking together the first halves for simultaneous movement thereof. A support bar links together the second halves and extends slidably through the first halves. A pair of spaced cam followers are carried by one of the first halves and one of the second halves, respectively. A pair of spaced abutments are carried by a cam bar and are positioned to engage the cam followers. At least one of the abutments has a cam surface to push the first halves and the second halves apart and open the molds when the cam bar and the molds are moved relatively together to bring the abutments into engagement with the cam followers.
The biasing of the molds into the closed position is preferably accomplished by a spring having opposite ends secured to the cam followers, respectively. Another preferred feature is invertibility of the support bar to invert the molds.
The method and manufacturing apparatus provide an automated and efficient system for manufacturing the lollipop. The structure of the apparatus is relatively simple and reliable in operation. In addition, the method and its apparatus are relatively inexpensive in their manufacture and maintenance.
The advantages and features discussed above and other advantages and features will become apparent from the detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention that follows.